The UK jewellery market has not lost its sparkle despite the Brexit vote, according to experts at the International Jewellery London show.

A weak pound, innovative design and a diverse marketplace for suppliers are just some of the reasons the UK jewellery market is thriving.

STORY-LINE:

Sparkle and shine at the International Jewellery London show.

Precious gemstones drip from the stands at this important jewellery trade event.

The diamonds and gold on show haven't lost any of their shine or lustre, but what about the jewellery market in post Brexit Britain?

Despite the vote to leave the European Union earlier this year, the industry reports it has not felt any repercussions.

Michael Rawlinson is chief executive of The National Association of Jewellers, the main industry body in the UK.

He says: "The British market actually has responded quite well post Brexit at the moment, people have some level of certainty, even if it is leaving the European Union, so we've seen a strengthening of trade in the last couple of months."

With innovative designers continuing to emerge from the UK's most important jewellery schools in London and Birmingham, he believes 'brand Britain' is as strong as ever.

"The challenge for the UK jewellery market post-Brexit is to actually promote made in Britain, we have a tremendous heritage here of craftsmanship and quality and we need to make sure that the product we make is identifiable around the world very clearly, that it's originated from and has been made in Britain," he says.

A good example of this innovation is London-based designer Joanna Boyen of Biiju.

She is proudly showing off her new explosion ring, which she claims is her own unique design and seen nowhere else.

"So they're called explosion rings and what's special about them is that there are 21 individual briolettes, that's cut with multiple facets all over them, and we thread each one on individually so that they move, they shimmer when you move and catch the light," says Boyen.

And the future of jewellery design talent in the UK looks to be in safe hands.

The show is promoting the stars of tomorrow in its section Bright Young Gems.

Katy Tromans just graduated from Birmingham City University with first class honours. She is now showcasing her latest collection of fairytale inspired silver rings.

This silver ring is hidden inside a model of Rapunzel's tower, which doubles-up as an ornament.

"So the main idea is that it's a silver ring and you have somewhere to keep it when you're not wearing it so it becomes part of a sculpture. So they all just come apart, so it comes off, then you can take the ring out and you can wear it, then you can put it back together and keep it on your side as an ornament, so it's that kind of thing," says Tromans.

She also has Alice in Wonderland and Moby Dick inspired creations.

But are the international jewellery makers and suppliers buying the brand Britain message?

High-end jeweller Sokolov from Russia is attending the show to launch its new Kaleidoscope range.

Global sales director Andrew German says Brexit has not had a negative impact on Sokolov's approach to the British market.

"Despite Brexit, the British market - in the global sense of this word - is still a part of the larger European market. The wealth of British people is still increasing and it allows demand for jewellery to rise as well. And British people want to try new things, new brands, some novelties and innovation in this industry. This is why we believe for the international players it's a good chance to get into the (British) market," he says.

Business activity in Britain rebounded in August, injecting some optimism into the debate on how Britain is faring after the vote to leave the European Union.

The purchasing managers' index jumped to 53.2 points, reversing a record fall to 47.4 in July experienced after the June 23 referendum.

But the index showed the Eurozone lost some economic momentum in August, largely because of a slowdown in Germany - an unexpected fall.

According to the show's organisers, the Brexit vote has done little to dissuade international exhibitors from attending International Jewellery London.

"So this is the first show since Brexit and whilst we've always got concern about what is going to happen in the future, and we can't predict that, we've seen just as many international exhibitors and visitors than we've ever had before. In fact, internationally we've had people representing France, like Galeries Lafayette and Printemps, people as far away as Russia and Middle East, all wanting to attend a show like this," she says.

"The reason being, for a supplier coming into an event like this, being able to enter into Europe through UK is actually quite an easy process to do because you've got so many channels to actually be able to go and sell, whether it's an independent boutique, multiple retailer, department store, gallery, it's quite endless and that gives them a good route into the market and into the rest of Europe, whether we are part of the EU or not."

Of course, a weak pound is also likely to be influencing those who are ready to spend thousands of pounds on high-end jewels.

But to prove it's not all about the bling at International Jewellery London, British designer Joanna Bury is polishing her perspex - that's right, plastic.

Bury used to design lingerie but recently switched to jewellery. The lacy, filigree designs are laser cut into perspex and have echoes of the fabrics she used to work with.

In the future, Bury hopes to start using more 3D printing technology to make it easier for her to produce her designs and sell them around the globe.

International Jewellery London runs from 4 to 6 September 2016.

London, UK - 4 September, 2016

1. Close of ring

2. Mid of women looking at ring

3. Close pan left from woman to emerald earring

4. Zoom to jewellery display

5. Pull focus of large diamond

6. Various set ups of Michael Rawlinson, chief executive of The National Association of Jewellers

"The British market actually has responded quite well post Brexit at the moment, people have some level of certainty, even if it is leaving the European Union, so we've seen a strengthening of trade in the last couple of months."

"The challenges for the UK jewellery market post-Brexit is to actually promote made in Britain, we have a tremendous heritage here of craftsmanship and quality and we need to make sure that the product we make here is identifiable around the world, very clearly, that it's originated from and has been made in Britain."

10. Mid of Joanna Boyen showing her explosion ring

11. Close of blue topaz explosion ring by Biiju

12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Joanna Boyen, director, Biiju jewellery:

"So they're called explosion rings and what's special about them is that there are 21 individual briolettes, that's cut with multiple facets all over them, and we thread each one on individually so that they move, they shimmer when you move and catch the light."

13. Close of explosion ring

14. Various set up shots of Bright Young Gem Katy Tromans demonstrating her Rapunzel tower ring

"So the main idea is that it's a silver ring and you have somewhere to keep it when you're not wearing it so it becomes part of a sculpture. So they all just come apart, so it comes off, then you can take the ring out and you can wear it, then you can put it back together and keep it on your side as an ornament, so it's that kind of thing."

16. Close of Tromans' Alice in Wonderland ring ornament

17. Close of Tromans' Moby Dick ring

18. Wide of Sokolov stand

19. Various set ups of Andrew German talking with colleague and looking at Sokolov's new Kaleidoscope range

"Despite Brexit, the British market - in the global sense of this word - is still a part of the larger European market. The wealth of British people is still increasing and it allows demand for jewellery to rise as well. And British people want to try new things, new brands, some novelties and innovation in this industry. This is why we believe for the international players it's a good chance to get into the (British) market."

21. Various set up shots of event director Sam Willoughby looking at jewellery by young British designer Vicky Lew

"So this is the first show since Brexit and whilst we've always got concern about what is going to happen in the future, and we can't predict that, we've seen just as many international exhibitors and visitors than we've ever had before. In fact, internationally we've had people representing France, like Galeries Lafayette and Printemps, people as far away as Russia and Middle East, all wanting to attend a show like this. The reason being, for a supplier coming into an event like this, being able to enter into Europe through UK is actually quite an easy process to do because you've got so many channels to actually be able to go and sell, whether it's an independent boutique, multiple retailer, department store, gallery, it's quite endless and that gives them a good route into the market and into the rest of Europe, whether we are part of the EU or not."

The UK jewellery market has not lost its sparkle despite the Brexit vote, according to experts at the International Jewellery London show.

A weak pound, innovative design and a diverse marketplace for suppliers are just some of the reasons the UK jewellery market is thriving.

STORY-LINE:

Sparkle and shine at the International Jewellery London show.

Precious gemstones drip from the stands at this important jewellery trade event.

The diamonds and gold on show haven't lost any of their shine or lustre, but what about the jewellery market in post Brexit Britain?

Despite the vote to leave the European Union earlier this year, the industry reports it has not felt any repercussions.

Michael Rawlinson is chief executive of The National Association of Jewellers, the main industry body in the UK.

He says: "The British market actually has responded quite well post Brexit at the moment, people have some level of certainty, even if it is leaving the European Union, so we've seen a strengthening of trade in the last couple of months."

With innovative designers continuing to emerge from the UK's most important jewellery schools in London and Birmingham, he believes 'brand Britain' is as strong as ever.

"The challenge for the UK jewellery market post-Brexit is to actually promote made in Britain, we have a tremendous heritage here of craftsmanship and quality and we need to make sure that the product we make is identifiable around the world very clearly, that it's originated from and has been made in Britain," he says.

A good example of this innovation is London-based designer Joanna Boyen of Biiju.

She is proudly showing off her new explosion ring, which she claims is her own unique design and seen nowhere else.

"So they're called explosion rings and what's special about them is that there are 21 individual briolettes, that's cut with multiple facets all over them, and we thread each one on individually so that they move, they shimmer when you move and catch the light," says Boyen.

And the future of jewellery design talent in the UK looks to be in safe hands.

The show is promoting the stars of tomorrow in its section Bright Young Gems.

Katy Tromans just graduated from Birmingham City University with first class honours. She is now showcasing her latest collection of fairytale inspired silver rings.

This silver ring is hidden inside a model of Rapunzel's tower, which doubles-up as an ornament.

"So the main idea is that it's a silver ring and you have somewhere to keep it when you're not wearing it so it becomes part of a sculpture. So they all just come apart, so it comes off, then you can take the ring out and you can wear it, then you can put it back together and keep it on your side as an ornament, so it's that kind of thing," says Tromans.

She also has Alice in Wonderland and Moby Dick inspired creations.

But are the international jewellery makers and suppliers buying the brand Britain message?

High-end jeweller Sokolov from Russia is attending the show to launch its new Kaleidoscope range.

Global sales director Andrew German says Brexit has not had a negative impact on Sokolov's approach to the British market.

"Despite Brexit, the British market - in the global sense of this word - is still a part of the larger European market. The wealth of British people is still increasing and it allows demand for jewellery to rise as well. And British people want to try new things, new brands, some novelties and innovation in this industry. This is why we believe for the international players it's a good chance to get into the (British) market," he says.

Business activity in Britain rebounded in August, injecting some optimism into the debate on how Britain is faring after the vote to leave the European Union.

The purchasing managers' index jumped to 53.2 points, reversing a record fall to 47.4 in July experienced after the June 23 referendum.

But the index showed the Eurozone lost some economic momentum in August, largely because of a slowdown in Germany - an unexpected fall.

According to the show's organisers, the Brexit vote has done little to dissuade international exhibitors from attending International Jewellery London.

"So this is the first show since Brexit and whilst we've always got concern about what is going to happen in the future, and we can't predict that, we've seen just as many international exhibitors and visitors than we've ever had before. In fact, internationally we've had people representing France, like Galeries Lafayette and Printemps, people as far away as Russia and Middle East, all wanting to attend a show like this," she says.

"The reason being, for a supplier coming into an event like this, being able to enter into Europe through UK is actually quite an easy process to do because you've got so many channels to actually be able to go and sell, whether it's an independent boutique, multiple retailer, department store, gallery, it's quite endless and that gives them a good route into the market and into the rest of Europe, whether we are part of the EU or not."

Of course, a weak pound is also likely to be influencing those who are ready to spend thousands of pounds on high-end jewels.

But to prove it's not all about the bling at International Jewellery London, British designer Joanna Bury is polishing her perspex - that's right, plastic.

Bury used to design lingerie but recently switched to jewellery. The lacy, filigree designs are laser cut into perspex and have echoes of the fabrics she used to work with.

In the future, Bury hopes to start using more 3D printing technology to make it easier for her to produce her designs and sell them around the globe.

International Jewellery London runs from 4 to 6 September 2016.

AP Television

London, UK - 4 September, 2016

1. Close of ring

2. Mid of women looking at ring

3. Close pan left from woman to emerald earring

4. Zoom to jewellery display

5. Pull focus of large diamond

6. Various set ups of Michael Rawlinson, chief executive of The National Association of Jewellers

"The British market actually has responded quite well post Brexit at the moment, people have some level of certainty, even if it is leaving the European Union, so we've seen a strengthening of trade in the last couple of months."

"The challenges for the UK jewellery market post-Brexit is to actually promote made in Britain, we have a tremendous heritage here of craftsmanship and quality and we need to make sure that the product we make here is identifiable around the world, very clearly, that it's originated from and has been made in Britain."

10. Mid of Joanna Boyen showing her explosion ring

11. Close of blue topaz explosion ring by Biiju

12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Joanna Boyen, director, Biiju jewellery:

"So they're called explosion rings and what's special about them is that there are 21 individual briolettes, that's cut with multiple facets all over them, and we thread each one on individually so that they move, they shimmer when you move and catch the light."

13. Close of explosion ring

14. Various set up shots of Bright Young Gem Katy Tromans demonstrating her Rapunzel tower ring

"So the main idea is that it's a silver ring and you have somewhere to keep it when you're not wearing it so it becomes part of a sculpture. So they all just come apart, so it comes off, then you can take the ring out and you can wear it, then you can put it back together and keep it on your side as an ornament, so it's that kind of thing."

16. Close of Tromans' Alice in Wonderland ring ornament

17. Close of Tromans' Moby Dick ring

18. Wide of Sokolov stand

19. Various set ups of Andrew German talking with colleague and looking at Sokolov's new Kaleidoscope range

"Despite Brexit, the British market - in the global sense of this word - is still a part of the larger European market. The wealth of British people is still increasing and it allows demand for jewellery to rise as well. And British people want to try new things, new brands, some novelties and innovation in this industry. This is why we believe for the international players it's a good chance to get into the (British) market."

21. Various set up shots of event director Sam Willoughby looking at jewellery by young British designer Vicky Lew

"So this is the first show since Brexit and whilst we've always got concern about what is going to happen in the future, and we can't predict that, we've seen just as many international exhibitors and visitors than we've ever had before. In fact, internationally we've had people representing France, like Galeries Lafayette and Printemps, people as far away as Russia and Middle East, all wanting to attend a show like this. The reason being, for a supplier coming into an event like this, being able to enter into Europe through UK is actually quite an easy process to do because you've got so many channels to actually be able to go and sell, whether it's an independent boutique, multiple retailer, department store, gallery, it's quite endless and that gives them a good route into the market and into the rest of Europe, whether we are part of the EU or not."

For decades Britain's discontent over its European Union (EU) membership has simmered on, but then came the June referendum.

Nationalism surfaced and Britain's voted to leave the EU.

Brexit as it became known sent shockwaves through money markets and governments around the world.

STORY-LINE:

In the weeks running up to referendum judgement day, the British were busy with a little soul searching.

Mulling over their shared history, the country's pride in their democracy and heritage.

It was a year when Queen Elizabeth celebrated being the longest reigning UK monarch and the country celebrated her ninetieth birthday.

The pomp and ceremony from her recent jubilee were still a source of pride and were reminiscent of the heydays when London style was considered to be world leading.

In the 1960's British fashion and British pop were riding high.

That sense of being at the vanguard of style has continued, according to Robert Johnston the Fashion Director of GQ Magazine: "You also think street scene, you think east London, you think hipsters, you think the most vibrant street fashion possibly in the world."

Author Iain Aitch explained how a variety of heritages were now mixed up, making Britishness a more complex idea to communicate: "Everyone might say a Sunday roast or fish and chips, that's a quintessentially British meal, but then suddenly everyone says it's chicken tikka masala."

But it wasn't this hipster, Brick Lane art and curry house side of Britain that won the vote.

The referendum on June 23rd was to signal the start of a long debate.

Britons for the first time had to absorb what being outside of the EU looked like.

Britain joined what was then called the European Economic Community in January 1973.

This was ratified by a referendum in 1975 with a resounding 67% majority.

By the seventies, Britain was beset by strikes and disgruntled union workers.

Traditional industries such as manufacturing and coal were in decline in the mid seventies.

Unemployment exceeded one million for the first time in March 1975. By the August that figure had increased to 1.25 million.

Some 83,000 immigrants were living in the UK by 1975, mostly from the Commonwealth.

According to Migration Watch UK for the year ending December 2015, net migration to the UK was 333,000.

And the lady had yet to turn. Margaret Thatcher MP (then leader of the opposition) campaigned to stay in the European Economic Community.

Later as prime minister between 1979 and 1990, Thatcher was known for her tough line with Brussels, especially during negotiations for the Maastrict Treaty in 1992.

The city of Maastrict is the home of the treaty which created the EU.

As summer arrived, businesses, leading universities and research establishments were beginning to assess the impact of Brexit.

For science and medicine, concerns were two fold.

Britain had attracted thousands of top researchers as well as billions of Euros in grants.

They went into research like this at Kings College London.

This project is a multidisciplinary look at the potential causes and effects of autism. It's a long term project which is linked to other studies across Europe.

Doctors and scientists aren't worried about losing cash in the short term, but falling behind in the knowledge race in the long term, especially as Britain has sought to place itself as a central base for the new industrial technologies.

The other fear is losing the brains which have been drawn to British research, people who now fear they will need to move to other institutions to keep up with the cash and the research.

Lead scientist at King's College Professor Declan Murphy warned: "Big questions need big populations to come up with the right answers, and we simply cannot deliver the amount of patients for the amount of science from one centre from one country."

The EU's Horizon 2020 budget is 80-billion Euro which funds medicine and science research across Europe.

Britain's split from the EU will leave a funding gap as well as a brain drain, according to Murphy. He argues it will be the children with autism like Van Velzen who will lose out.

As an island nation, boat building and sales have been important to the UK.

The industry fears rough waters may be ahead for Britain's luxury yacht industry, but right now it's riding on a wave caused by the plunge in the pound's value.

Phil Popham, the CEO of Sunseeker International was cautious: "We've benefited because of the weakness of the pound, but its all about business confidence."

Others like Russell Currie, the Managing Director of Fairline Yachts, says he already had cause to worry: "We've had an overnight decrease in the price of our boats in areas such as the European market."

British Marine's chief executive Howard Pridding tried to show more confidence in the course ahead: "Obviously, industry and business need stability and the time it will take to exit from the European Union will be problematic."

An estimated 1.2 million Britons live in other EU countries, mostly France, Portugal and Spain according to Britain's House of Commons library.

But that's a conservative figure because many expats don't bother registering with their embassies or the local authorities.

At Mijas on Spain's Costa del Sol, many Brits don't want to return to Blighty.

Used to the sun, sea and cafe society, some British residents are so concerned that their lives on the Costas are threatened, that after many years they're finally learning to speak Spanish.

According to Mijas' Mayor Juan Carlos Maldonado: "When the results of the Brexit (referendum) were known, a big uncertainty was created."

A cloud of uncertainty still hangs over British expats in Spain and elsewhere in Europe.

And it's possible a string of similar nationality schools for expats may spring up.

Not everyone was bemoaning the onset of Brexit.

The art and antique market experienced a mini boom according to London dealers at this winter fair.

The weak pound against the dollar and Euro has seen American collectors in particular start to snap up bargains with savings of beween 25 and 30 per cent compared with six months ago.

Art dealers are reporting a similar trend.

They say investors see the arts market as a safe refuge in uncertain times.

As Christmas approaches the toy industry is bracing itself and Santa is wondering whether he'll have much to be jolly about.

It's the time of year when manufacturers and retailers count on making their biggest cash bonus of the year.

According to industry analyst Frederique Tutt: "Since the Brexit vote the toy market has been faring really well with an increase of three percent."

That's because toy retailers buy stock almost a year in advance and can keep prices stable, but the toy dealers here admit next year the stockings left out for Father Chrismas may have shrunk considerably.

There's nothing as Christmassy as a Christmas tree, but in Denmark the outlook for tree producers isn't quite so evergreen.

According to the Danish Christmas Tree Association, the small Scandinavian country grows around 11.5 million trees a year.

About 9.5 million of those are exported.

But these are challenging times and currency fluctuations are having an effect on trade.

Speaking about his members, Claus Jerram Christensen of the Danish Christmas Tree Association says: "They have experienced that the low exchange rate for the sterling pound makes it more difficult to achieve the same prices."

The true impact of Brexit on Britain and Europe as a whole is still to an extent unknown.

The UK government had announced it was to trigger Article 50 next March to start negotiations to leave EU.

But since then, Brexit has twice been contested in the High Court.

One ruling has already stated Britain's law makers should be allowed a vote in Parliament beforehand.

Breaking up, it seems, really is hard to do.

AP Television

London, UK - 22 February 2016

1. Wide of UK Houses of Parliament as London bus passes

2. Close of clock face at the top of Elizabeth Tower, which houses Big Ben

"The low exchange rate for the sterling pound makes it more difficult to achieve the same prices."

64. Mid of large container truck filled with trees pulling out of yard stacked with trees

65. Pan across field of Christmas tree saplings for 2018 and beyond

LEADIN:

For decades Britain's discontent over its European Union (EU) membership has simmered on, but then came the June referendum.

Nationalism surfaced and Britain's voted to leave the EU.

Brexit as it became known sent shockwaves through money markets and governments around the world.

STORYLINE:

In the weeks running up to referendum judgement day, the British were busy with a little soul searching.

Mulling over their shared history, the country's pride in their democracy and heritage.

It was a year when Queen Elizabeth celebrated being the longest reigning UK monarch and the country celebrated her ninetieth birthday.

The pomp and ceremony from her recent jubilee were still a source of pride and were reminiscent of the heydays when London style was considered to be world leading.

In the 1960's British fashion and British pop were riding high.

That sense of being at the vanguard of style has continued, according to Robert Johnston the Fashion Director of GQ Magazine: "You also think street scene, you think east London, you think hipsters, you think the most vibrant street fashion possibly in the world."

Author Iain Aitch explained how a variety of heritages were now mixed up, making Britishness a more complex idea to communicate: "Everyone might say a Sunday roast or fish and chips, that's a quintessentially British meal, but then suddenly everyone says it's chicken tikka masala."

But it wasn't this hipster, Brick Lane art and curry house side of Britain that won the vote.

The referendum on June 23rd was to signal the start of a long debate.

Britons for the first time had to absorb what being outside of the EU looked like.

Britain joined what was then called the European Economic Community in January 1973.

This was ratified by a referendum in 1975 with a resounding 67% majority.

By the seventies, Britain was beset by strikes and disgruntled union workers.

Traditional industries such as manufacturing and coal were in decline in the mid seventies.

Unemployment exceeded one million for the first time in March 1975. By the August that figure had increased to 1.25 million.

Some 83,000 immigrants were living in the UK by 1975, mostly from the Commonwealth.

According to Migration Watch UK for the year ending December 2015, net migration to the UK was 333,000.

And the lady had yet to turn. Margaret Thatcher MP (then leader of the opposition) campaigned to stay in the European Economic Community.

Later as prime minister between 1979 and 1990, Thatcher was known for her tough line with Brussels, especially during negotiations for the Maastrict Treaty in 1992.

The city of Maastrict is the home of the treaty which created the EU.

As summer arrived, businesses, leading universities and research establishments were beginning to assess the impact of Brexit.

For science and medicine, concerns were two fold.

Britain had attracted thousands of top researchers as well as billions of Euros in grants.

They went into research like this at Kings College London.

This project is a multidisciplinary look at the potential causes and effects of autism. It's a long term project which is linked to other studies across Europe.

Doctors and scientists aren't worried about losing cash in the short term, but falling behind in the knowledge race in the long term, especially as Britain has sought to place itself as a central base for the new industrial technologies.

The other fear is losing the brains which have been drawn to British research, people who now fear they will need to move to other institutions to keep up with the cash and the research.

Lead scientist at King's College Professor Declan Murphy warned: "Big questions need big populations to come up with the right answers, and we simply cannot deliver the amount of patients for the amount of science from one centre from one country."

The EU's Horizon 2020 budget is 80-billion Euro which funds medicine and science research across Europe.

Britain's split from the EU will leave a funding gap as well as a brain drain, according to Murphy. He argues it will be the children with autism like Van Velzen who will lose out.

As an island nation, boat building and sales have been important to the UK.

The industry fears rough waters may be ahead for Britain's luxury yacht industry, but right now it's riding on a wave caused by the plunge in the pound's value.

Phil Popham, the CEO of Sunseeker International was cautious: "We've benefited because of the weakness of the pound, but its all about business confidence."

Others like Russell Currie, the Managing Director of Fairline Yachts, says he already had cause to worry: "We've had an overnight decrease in the price of our boats in areas such as the European market."

British Marine's chief executive Howard Pridding tried to show more confidence in the course ahead: "Obviously, industry and business need stability and the time it will take to exit from the European Union will be problematic."

An estimated 1.2 million Britons live in other EU countries, mostly France, Portugal and Spain according to Britain's House of Commons library.

But that's a conservative figure because many expats don't bother registering with their embassies or the local authorities.

At Mijas on Spain's Costa del Sol, many Brits don't want to return to Blighty.

Used to the sun, sea and cafe society, some British residents are so concerned that their lives on the Costas are threatened, that after many years they're finally learning to speak Spanish.

According to Mijas' Mayor Juan Carlos Maldonado: "When the results of the Brexit (referendum) were known, a big uncertainty was created."

A cloud of uncertainty still hangs over British expats in Spain and elsewhere in Europe.

And it's possible a string of similar nationality schools for expats may spring up.

Not everyone was bemoaning the onset of Brexit.

The art and antique market experienced a mini boom according to London dealers at this winter fair.

The weak pound against the dollar and Euro has seen American collectors in particular start to snap up bargains with savings of beween 25 and 30 per cent compared with six months ago.

Art dealers are reporting a similar trend.

They say investors see the arts market as a safe refuge in uncertain times.

As Christmas approaches the toy industry is bracing itself and Santa is wondering whether he'll have much to be jolly about.

It's the time of year when manufacturers and retailers count on making their biggest cash bonus of the year.

According to industry analyst Frederique Tutt: "Since the Brexit vote the toy market has been faring really well with an increase of three percent."

That's because toy retailers buy stock almost a year in advance and can keep prices stable, but the toy dealers here admit next year the stockings left out for Father Chrismas may have shrunk considerably.

There's nothing as Christmassy as a Christmas tree, but in Denmark the outlook for tree producers isn't quite so evergreen.

According to the Danish Christmas Tree Association, the small Scandinavian country grows around 11.5 million trees a year.

About 9.5 million of those are exported.

But these are challenging times and currency fluctuations are having an effect on trade.

Speaking about his members, Claus Jerram Christensen of the Danish Christmas Tree Association says: "They have experienced that the low exchange rate for the sterling pound makes it more difficult to achieve the same prices."

The true impact of Brexit on Britain and Europe as a whole is still to an extent unknown.

The UK government had announced it was to trigger Article 50 next March to start negotiations to leave EU.

But since then, Brexit has twice been contested in the High Court.

One ruling has already stated Britain's law makers should be allowed a vote in Parliament beforehand.

Breaking up, it seems, really is hard to do.

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As British business owners try to come to terms with the vote to leave the European Union, there are fears of the implications a "Brexit" will have.

London perfume maker, Sarah McCartney, said her businesses future "is not smelling so sweet at the moment".

She said she relies on trade with Europe and not only has the cost of raw materials increased, so too will the amount of paper work.

International trade lawyer, Miriam Gonzalez, said trying to minimise businesses uncertainty should be the governments top priority.

She said businesses need to know what the framework for Britain's negotiations with the EU will be, so they can try and minimise uncertainty.

City of London Corporation Policy Chairman, Mark Boleat, said that those uncertainties mean that "some investment is certainly going to be deterred."

While Edwin Morgan from Institute of Directors said the unknowns mean two thirds of its members think a "Brexit" will be negative for their business and cutting investment, redundancies and relocating are all on the table.

London - 27 June 2016

1. Perfume maker Sarah McCartney working in her factory in west London

2. Close of essence being poured

3. Close of perfume essence being bottled

4. Cap being placed on vial

5. Perfume label reading (English) "Inevitable Crimes of Passion"

6. Label being stuck on vial

7. Finished vials

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Sarah McCartney, 4160 Tuesdays perfume maker:

"I make perfume and the future is not smelling so sweet at the moment. I deal with France and Germany, I buy raw materials from Europe, I sell to Europe. I just think it's going to get a heck of a lot more complicated, and it's already got more expensive."

9. Various of McCartney during interview

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Sarah McCartney, 4160 Tuesdays perfume maker:

"Our market is worldwide and I really, really need to trade with Europe. I buy raw materials from Europe and suddenly they're going to be, well at least, eight per cent more expensive and probably there's going to be ten times as much paperwork."

11. McCartney making perfume

12. Perfume bottles made by 4160 Tuesdays

13. Various of commuters in the City of London

14. Various of financial institutions

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Miriam Gonzalez, International Trade Lawyer:

"There are only a few companies that have really done the nitty-gritty homework to be ready for Brexit. Many of them, they were kind of hoping that it would not happen, so now is the time that they really need to start doing that work."

16. Cutaway of Gonzelez's hands

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Miriam Gonzalez, International Trade Lawyer:

"This country, the businesses in this country need to know what is the framework that the government is aspiring to negotiate, and therefore, whether that is the single market, remaining in the single market or not makes a crucial difference. Trying to minimise the legal uncertainty, I would have thought that is the top priority."

18. Various of painting by John Single Copley called "The Defeat of the Floating Batteries at Gibraltar"

"I think the authorities have handled the market turmoil as well as they could have done. That was done carefully on Friday and no doubt is continuing today but that's a short term issue. It's some of these longer issues that need resolving. It remains to be seen what impact this will have on the growth of the British economy over the next few months, what impact on tax revenue, what impact on foreign direct investment."

"The fundamentals remain unchanged, Britain is still a very attractive place for business and for investment, but given those sort of uncertainties some investment certainly going to be deterred. Very much depends what the sector is, how important membership of the single market is. But we are going to see some uncertainty and that's going to have an affect on investment."

"We asked our members immediately after the referendum result came in, what they thought, how they thought it would affect their businesses. Two thirds said that it was negative for them against only about a quarter who thought it was positive. On the specific questions we asked, we asked about investment and hiring decisions and there was also some quite worrying figures. About 36 percent of our members think that they will have to cut investment as a result and about 5 percent of our members say they might have to make redundancies which is obviously quite worrying. There are also some other figures in there on whether or not they'll keep all their operations in the UK or whether they may be forced to move overseas. About 1 in 5 are considering, as we speak, moving some of their operations out of the UK, whether that's to the EU or to somewhere outside it. I mean ultimately we think that our members are very resilient, we think British business is tough and will get through it and will adapt, but certainly at the moment there is a lot of nervousness out there in the business community."

The show was attended by U.S. Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, model Poppy Delevingne and Caroline Rush, Chief Executive of the British Fashion Council.

Rush described the collection - which featured bold prints and metallic shades - as a highlight of London Fashion Week so far.

"It's hard not to reference him as a true innovator. There was a real play on fabrication... there was a reference to his graduate collection - but beautifully made and pulled together. I think everyone has walked out saying that has set the bar," she said.

With fashionistas from all over the world flocking to London for the five day event, Rush also discussed whether the U.K.'s recent vote to leave the European Union has been bad for business.

"There's been a lot of talk about Brexit over the last few days - of course, it's the first fashion week post the vote. But, over the summer months we've seen a bounce in luxury and retail sales and I think there's a slow element of confidence," she said

"It's definitely not something that the industry wanted, but like any business decision or challenge, you look for the opportunities in it and you overcome the challenges when they come."

London Fashion Week draws to a close on Tuesday, 20 September.

AP Entertainment - Music on catwalks not cleared for use. Please replace with your own Clearable Music

London, 19 September 2016

1. Wide shot interior of venue

2. Medium shot model Poppy Delevingne

3. Various shots Christopher Kane spring/summer 2017 collection

4. Various shots final pass

5. Wide of designer Christopher Kane receiving applause (Anna Wintour in shot at end of show)

"Well we've had an incredible four days so far. We've got one day to go. I've just come out of the Christopher Kane show and it's hard not to reference him as a true innovator. There was a real play on fabrication, on different takes and references to previous - there was a reference to his graduate collection - but beautifully made and pulled together and I think everyone has walked out saying that has set the bar and let's see what's to follow."

7. Medium shot Caroline Rush walking

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Caroline Rush, Chief Executive of the British Fashion Council - on whether Britain's vote to leave the European Union is impacting the fashion industry:

"Well, there's been a lot of talk about Brexit over the last few days - of course, it's the first fashion week post the vote. But over the summer months we've seen a bounce in luxury and retail sales and I think there's a sort of slow element of confidence. It's definitely not something that the industry wanted, but like any business decision or challenge, you look for the opportunities in it and you overcome the challenges when they come."

US Secretary of State John Kerry addressed the Oxford Union on Wednesday, speaking on a diverse range of issues, including corruption, Brexit and the problems that face Syria.

Kerry, who planned to attend UK Prime Minister David Cameron's anti-corruption conference on Thursday, appeared to give the prime minister some political cover by describing Nigeria's corruption as a problem its current leaders were working faithfully to address.

Fielding a question on Brexit, he reiterated US President Obama's stance that the US would be looking to make a trade agreement with 27 countries, not one.

Kerry also said that if Russia and Iran don't push Syrian President Bashar Assad to embrace their vision for Syria's future, the there ceasefire would completely fall apart.

US Secretary of State John Kerry addressed the Oxford Union on Wednesday, speaking on a diverse range of issues, including corruption, Brexit and the problems that face Syria.

Kerry, who planned to attend UK Prime Minister David Cameron's anti-corruption conference on Thursday, appeared to give the prime minister some political cover by describing Nigeria's corruption as a problem its current leaders were working faithfully to address.

Fielding a question on Brexit, he reiterated US President Obama's stance that the US would be looking to make a trade agreement with 27 countries, not one.

Kerry also said that if Russia and Iran don't push Syrian President Bashar Assad to embrace their vision for Syria's future, the there ceasefire would completely fall apart.

Oxford - 11 May 2016

1. US Secretary of State John Kerry enters Oxford Union

2. Various of audience

3. SOUNDBITE (English) John Kerry, US Secretary of State:

"We have to stop and ask on an international basis how it is that a bunch of generals in a country like Nigeria, which had happened previously, and the new president (Buhari) has run against all this, and we are working with him now to change it, but Nigeria saw tens of billions of dollars taken out of the country. Those were schools, those were health care, those were infrastructure, new jobs, hidden in bank accounts around the world."

4. Cutaway

5. SOUNDBITE (English) John Kerry, US Secretary of State:

"We believe the presence of Britain in EU magnifies its voice, strengthens its ability to be able to impact on global effects, and if indeed the decision were made and your voters make that decision, of course we respect it. But the reality is that in a trade agreement, we're going to be looking to 27 countries, not one. We're going to try and maximize the market place and get the rules in as many countries as we can, because that's the way it's effective, so certainly it will have impacts like that."

6. Cutaway

7. SOUNDBITE (English) John Kerry, US Secretary of State:

"A political negotiation, a transitional governance body that would run Syria while the constitution is being written and implemented, and then a cease-fire, nation-wide and then and election in a year and a half. Now we are now already five months in so it would be a year and whatever. But that's the envisioned outcome of Iran and Russia. It's pretty similar to ours. The issue is are they going to really push (Syrian President) Assad to embrace it. If he doesn't, the ceasefire will completely fall apart, they will go back to war baring some other kind of intervention that I don't necessarily see on the horizon right now."

Cakes as tall as towers and brides glistening in gold - all the cutting edge trends are on view at the National Wedding Show in London.

The business of getting married in the UK is a big one, with the average cost around twenty-thousand pounds for the dress and party alone.

STORY-LINE:

On the catwalk the models are a vision in lace, pearls and crystals.

Traditional veils may be swapped for carnival masks, but there's no sign in London that the UK's exit from Europe is having an impact on business yet.

The full meringue dresses have disappeared though, in favour of light, floaty dresses, cut in every shape.

The lustre of gold is especially popular this year as well as a lot more colour in the form of floral patterns.

Stands with all brilliant white dresses are in the minority as vintage sepia brown mingles in the growing abundance of gold embroidery and beads.

Heavy skirts are also dwindling in favour, with lots of frocks looking as light as air and almost transparent.

One dress by Finiks of London has been stained with tea to give it a soft look which matches the oyster Chantilly on the bodice.

It's the idea of Lilia Markova who, with her mother, runs the London bridal studio Finiks.

According to Markova: "Its not anymore about the white colour people are avoiding white and they are going for a little bit darker. I don't know if its a second marriage or a later marriage or just they don't want the traditional white."

Some of the dresses here can take months to complete.

The frocks made by Lithuanian designer Ingrid Inzi take several weeks to complete even with a staff of seamstresses.

This ornate gold laced frock costs over seven thousand euros.

As well as the sumptuous dresses, Inzi also produces gold engraved menu cards.

Inzi says in Lithuania the wedding always starts early in church and brides usually opt for a castle for a backdrop to their big day.

She says: "All the small girls they are thinking all the time I will be the Queen, I will be the Princess, this is my day to parade."

Like many of the dresses, the cakes are becoming more colourful.

Traditional white tiered cakes are still popular but many of them are covered in macarons or chocolate curls and of course, a lot of them are gold.

Women come here to get ideas about hair and makeup, as well as dresses. And with winter just around the corner in the UK, ostrich feathers and faux fur shawls are on show too.

According to wedding planner Kay Francis business is booming, she says: "There seems to be a rise, especially a rise in the younger brides."

Formerly an events organiser, she's decided to specialise in weddings a couple of years ago and now assists brides from Britain to Barbados.

Most weddings that Francis deals with are in excess of twenty thousand British pounds, but many go higher with weddings being held all over the world.

Honeymoons, according to Francis, have also become a family affair rather than a romantic getaway for the bride and groom, especially if they have children.

She says: "They don't want to be away from their family for that prolonged period of time, whereas you know you disappear for two weeks, not if you have recently had children etcetera. Its not everyone doing it the simple conventional ways any more. You got a different mixes of people getting married, its a different demographic, so it all changes, I just go with the flow."

For most brides it's a magical day however they choose to wed.

But some are lucky enough to have their own enchanted garden.

This bower packed with blooms could have come from Shakespeare's Midsummer's Night Dream.

If you wanted this in your back garden it would set you back one-hundred thousand British pounds.

The table displays are a thousand pounds each.

Not all brides will want such a lavish display, but it's creator Amie Bone says: "It's going to appeal to someone and all the colours and every thing that we have this time is what I wanted to bring to London. All the mosses and the golds and everything, you know something totally different to what we've been seeing and introducing new trends."

Because Bone imports her flowers she has noticed a change in costs and says: "Brexit affected the cost of the flowers because obviously it's all imported in from Holland, so it has had a knock on effect there, but bringing brides into us? No, I wouldn't say that has happened."

While many of the traders here think Brexit may persuade some British brides to downsize, they are hoping the cheaper pound won't make a difference to the industry as a whole.

London, UK - 23 September 2016

1. Various of models showing different wedding dresses on the catwalk at the National Wedding Show London

2. Close tilt up of gold beaded wedding dress

3. Mid tracking shot through dresses to assistant rearranging fabric

4. Various of assistant looking at detail on dresses

5. Mid tilt up of lace and net transparent dress

6. Close of floral and brown and silver dresses

7. Mid tilt down of Chantilly lace dress stained with tea

8. Close tilt up of detail on dress

9. Various of Lilia Markova picking out dress to contrast with vintage tea stained dress

10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lilia Markova, Finiks London:

"Its not anymore about the white colour people are avoiding white and they are going for a little bit darker. I don't know if its a second marriage or a later marriage or just they don't want the traditional white."

11. Close pan from detail of gold to white dress

12. Close pan from gold bodice to gold sign on the wall

13. Various of Ingrid Inzi on her stand

14. Close tilt up of gold lace dress

15. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ingrid Inzi, designer:

"All the small girls they are thinking all the time I will be the Queen, I will be the Princess, this is my day to parade."

16. Close of candle burning amid white flowers

17. Close of gold printed menu cards

18. Various of colourful cakes on stands

19. Various of woman having hair extension fitted

20. Mid of mother and daughter looking at dresses

21. Wide of fur trimmed bridal jackets for winter with woman in background having dress fitted

22. Various of wedding planner Kay Francis talking to colleague

23. SOUNDBITE: (English) Kay Francis, Wedding Planners:

"There seems to be a rise, especially a rise in the younger brides."

24. Various of woman having make up done

25. SOUNDBITE: (English) Kay Francis, Wedding Planners:

"They don't want to be away from their family for that prolonged period of time, whereas you know you disappear for two weeks, not if you have recently had children etcetera. Its not everyone doing it the simple conventional ways any more. You got a different mixes of people getting married, its a different demographic, so it all changes, I just go with the flow."

26. Various of model in fairy costume to accompany the designer Amie Bone's 'enchanted garden' stand

27. SOUNDBITE: (English) Amie Bone, wedding florist:

"It's going to appeal to someone and all the colours and every thing that we have this time is what I wanted to bring to London. All the mosses and the golds and everything, you know something totally different to what we've been seeing and introducing new trends."

28. Various of Amie Bone enchanted garden wedding display

29. SOUNDBITE: (English) Amie Bone, wedding florist

"Brexit affected the cost of the flowers because obviously it's all imported in from Holland, so it has had a knock on effect there, but bringing brides into us? No, I wouldn't say that has happened."

30. Various of audience of brides to be and bridesmaids watching the wedding catwalk show

Diamond encrusted guitars, giant rubies and golden pyramids were just some of the highlights of 2016's run of jewellery fairs across the globe.

But war, political uncertainty and economic turmoil took centre stage this year as most countries reported a downturn in jewellery markets.

STORY-LINE:

In January, Tokyo kicked off a year of glittering jewellery fairs in a sparkling mood.

The increasing economic uncertainty around the globe that marked the end of 2015 did not seem to be weighing heavily on the industry with organisers remaining optimistic about the market as a whole.

The centrepiece of the show was this 400 karat diamond guitar worth a cool US$2 million.

In March 2015 it was certified by the Guinness World Records as the world's most 'valuable guitar'.

It took 68 designers and craftsmen 2 months to complete this unique piece, which is made with 10,000 diamonds.

Other extravagant and novel designs included unique LED jewellery by Tohkoo.Co. Ltd.

The company developed very small LED lights and incorporated then into jewellery items such as earrings and even nails.

By February in Bangkok prospects for the industry were not looking quite so shiny.

The Thailand Gems and Jewellery Fair takes place twice a year and is Asia's second largest trade show, attracting around 1,800 exhibitors.

But traders at the fair reported that the industry was struggling.

Foreign exhibitors were allowed to sell gems and jewellery duty-free. Many local exhibitors cut their prices too. This meant buyers saved about 20 percent, which traders hoped would encourage people to buy more.

The tactics became necessary due to the continuing effects of the global economy knocking onto the gems and jewellery market.

Anthony Peter Brooke, Vice President of the Thai Gem and Jewellery Traders Association said the collapse of China's market had been particularly damaging.

"The China market has now unfortunately collapsed, and that's not the wrong word to use, it genuinely has collapsed. It's probably going to take another 4 to 5 years to get back to the state that it was before. What that means is that prices have basically collapsed. The raw material producing countries are no longer able to sell the amounts that they were before because of this big price differential."

But rubies and sapphires were still deemed safe bets - remaining in demand by the China market and maintaining their price.

Over in Hong Kong, platinum was the saviour at March's International Jewellery Show.

Traders said they were revelling in record low costs for the metal, with prices at their lowest for 7 years.

Platinum remains a popular material for jewellery, particularly in western wedding rings and minimal design pieces.

More than 2,500 exhibitors from 41 countries and regions including India, Thailand and Turkey showcased their products at the 2016 show.

As one of the biggest jewellery consuming countries, gold-loving India said its jewellery industry had been slowing down and Indian traders voiced concern that their government's plan to reintroduce excise tax could result in a drop in sales.

The miniature model of the Pyramids of Giza is made of 1,568 pieces of 24 carat gold, and weighs 157 kg.

In the jewellery pavilions, this queen of the Istanbul exhibition gold ring made of 20 and 7 carat diamonds was priced at 345,000 US dollars.

This dagger made of gold and giant rubies was valued at 250,000 US dollars.

And anybody who took a shine to this gold coated Mercedes car would have needed a cool 220,000 US dollars to drive it away.

But behind the luxury and extravagance, Turkish jewellery exporters reported that regional tensions between Turkey and Russia were having an impact on the market.

Relations between Russia and Turkey have soured over the conflict in neighbouring Syria, and have become particularly strained since Turkey shot down a Russian warplane in Syria on November 24.

The Kremlin, meanwhile, was displaying an array of jewellery of its own.

Known for its dazzling golden domes, at the end of March it presented a sparkling collection of jewellery in its museum.

The diamond flowers and gold birds form part of a collection of work on display by award-winning Russian jewellery designer Ilgiz Fazulzyanov.

Fazulzyanov is the first living designer to have been given a solo exhibition in the Kremlin since Pierre-Karl Faberge in 1917.

In Mumbai in August, the annual India International Jewellery Show saw jewellery makers reporting a slowdown in the industry due to soaring gold prices.

But they said designers were compensating by getting more innovative with their designs.

The gems and jewellery sector contributes about six percent to India's gross domestic product (GDP), according to the India Brand and Equity Foundation.

That's due to high local demand and India's role as major centre for cutting and polishing diamonds.

Jewels play an important role in weddings, festivals, or any special occasion in India, making them a much sought after commodity.

Not only jewellery, but also art works, ornaments and even clothing are crafted from gold, silver and platinum and studded with diamonds and precious gems.

One of the highlights of the show was the "Peacock Ring", which holds the Guinness World Record for the most diamonds set in a single ring: 3,827 diamonds in all.

Weighing slightly more than 50 grams, the ring was created by Savio Jewellery and has an estimated value of 2,744,525, US dollars.

The majority of the show had jewellery designed for women, priced from a few hundred dollars to several thousand.

Jewellery designer and blogger, Prernaa Makhariaa says Indian designers were experimenting with innovation, blending traditional Indian styles with Western designs to attract buyers.

"There has been an infusion of diamonds with gold, or diamond with different kind of textures. It's not only diamonds, but even coloured stones are being mixed with gold or with silver or with brass and copper. So India is getting innovative with a lot of different manufacturing techniques and they are trying to play with textures and different kind of materials."

In London, UK traders were confident their products had not lost their sparkle despite the Brexit vote.

Experts at the International Jewellery London show said a weak pound, innovative design and a diverse marketplace for suppliers were just some of the reasons the UK jewellery market was thriving.

Michael Rawlinson is chief executive of The National Association of Jewellers, the main industry body in the UK.

He said: "The British market actually has responded quite well post Brexit at the moment, people have some level of certainty, even if it is leaving the European Union, so we've seen a strengthening of trade in the last couple of months."

With innovative designers continuing to emerge from the UK's most important jewellery schools in London and Birmingham, Rawlinson said 'brand Britain' was as strong as ever.

Examples of innovation came in the form of London-based designer Joanna Boyen of Biiju and her explosion designs and Katy Tromans' fairytale inspired silver rings.

Finishing off the season in October it was back to Istanbul.

Dazzling Turkey's 2nd jewellery fair of the year was this miniature of Istanbul's Camlica Mosque made of gold.

The 300 kilogram piece honouring the largest mosque in Asia Minor (Anatolia) was valued at 10 million US dollars.

But Turkish traders were not celebrating.

Turkey is one of the top three global producers together with Italy and India, but the usually buoyant jewellery sector was waning.

The situation in Syria, terror attacks, a failed coup and a long-running internal conflict with the Kurdish minority all impacted.

Exhibitors attending the show reported an export market drop of 18% overall in the last year according to the Turkish Jewellery Exporters Association. Total exports were 1.4 billion US dollars

Russia was in 2014 one of the main buyers of Turkish jewellery and gold, but bilateral trade was halted a year ago when Turkey shot down a Russian warplane in Syria.

After resuming business this year, Russia is now the 18th buyer of Turkish jewellery.

Iran is now the top buyer, but the purchase of jewellery and gold has decreased by 38 per cent to 384 million US dollars from January to September compared to the same period last year, according to figures from the Turkish Jewellery Exporters Association.

Tokyo, January 20, 2016

1. Tilt down $2 million guitar

2. Left Pan of Aaron Shum, President of Aaron Shum Jewellery holding the $2 million guitar his company made

"The China market has now unfortunately collapsed, and that's not the wrong word to use, it genuinely has collapsed. It's probably going to take another 4 to 5 years to get back to the state that it was before. What that means is that prices have basically collapsed. The raw material producing countries are no longer able to sell the amounts that they were before because of this big price differential."

"There has been an infusion of diamonds with gold, or diamond with different kind of textures. It's not only diamonds, but even coloured stones are being mixed with gold or with silver or with brass and copper. So India is getting innovative with a lot of different manufacturing techniques and they are trying to play with textures and different kind of materials."

"The British market actually has responded quite well post Brexit at the moment, people have some level of certainty, even if it is leaving the European Union, so we've seen a strengthening of trade in the last couple of months."

Diamond encrusted guitars, giant rubies and golden pyramids were just some of the highlights of 2016's run of jewellery fairs across the globe.

But war, political uncertainty and economic turmoil took centre stage this year as most countries reported a downturn in jewellery markets.

STORY-LINE:

In January, Tokyo kicked off a year of glittering jewellery fairs in a sparkling mood.

The increasing economic uncertainty around the globe that marked the end of 2015 did not seem to be weighing heavily on the industry with organisers remaining optimistic about the market as a whole.

The centrepiece of the show was this 400 karat diamond guitar worth a cool US$2 million.

In March 2015 it was certified by the Guinness World Records as the world's most 'valuable guitar'.

It took 68 designers and craftsmen 2 months to complete this unique piece, which is made with 10,000 diamonds.

Other extravagant and novel designs included unique LED jewellery by Tohkoo.Co. Ltd.

The company developed very small LED lights and incorporated then into jewellery items such as earrings and even nails.

By February in Bangkok prospects for the industry were not looking quite so shiny.

The Thailand Gems and Jewellery Fair takes place twice a year and is Asia's second largest trade show, attracting around 1,800 exhibitors.

But traders at the fair reported that the industry was struggling.

Foreign exhibitors were allowed to sell gems and jewellery duty-free. Many local exhibitors cut their prices too. This meant buyers saved about 20 percent, which traders hoped would encourage people to buy more.

The tactics became necessary due to the continuing effects of the global economy knocking onto the gems and jewellery market.

Anthony Peter Brooke, Vice President of the Thai Gem and Jewellery Traders Association said the collapse of China's market had been particularly damaging.

"The China market has now unfortunately collapsed, and that's not the wrong word to use, it genuinely has collapsed. It's probably going to take another 4 to 5 years to get back to the state that it was before. What that means is that prices have basically collapsed. The raw material producing countries are no longer able to sell the amounts that they were before because of this big price differential."

But rubies and sapphires were still deemed safe bets - remaining in demand by the China market and maintaining their price.

Over in Hong Kong, platinum was the saviour at March's International Jewellery Show.

Traders said they were revelling in record low costs for the metal, with prices at their lowest for 7 years.

Platinum remains a popular material for jewellery, particularly in western wedding rings and minimal design pieces.

More than 2,500 exhibitors from 41 countries and regions including India, Thailand and Turkey showcased their products at the 2016 show.

As one of the biggest jewellery consuming countries, gold-loving India said its jewellery industry had been slowing down and Indian traders voiced concern that their government's plan to reintroduce excise tax could result in a drop in sales.

The miniature model of the Pyramids of Giza is made of 1,568 pieces of 24 carat gold, and weighs 157 kg.

In the jewellery pavilions, this queen of the Istanbul exhibition gold ring made of 20 and 7 carat diamonds was priced at 345,000 US dollars.

This dagger made of gold and giant rubies was valued at 250,000 US dollars.

And anybody who took a shine to this gold coated Mercedes car would have needed a cool 220,000 US dollars to drive it away.

But behind the luxury and extravagance, Turkish jewellery exporters reported that regional tensions between Turkey and Russia were having an impact on the market.

Relations between Russia and Turkey have soured over the conflict in neighbouring Syria, and have become particularly strained since Turkey shot down a Russian warplane in Syria on November 24.

The Kremlin, meanwhile, was displaying an array of jewellery of its own.

Known for its dazzling golden domes, at the end of March it presented a sparkling collection of jewellery in its museum.

The diamond flowers and gold birds form part of a collection of work on display by award-winning Russian jewellery designer Ilgiz Fazulzyanov.

Fazulzyanov is the first living designer to have been given a solo exhibition in the Kremlin since Pierre-Karl Faberge in 1917.

In Mumbai in August, the annual India International Jewellery Show saw jewellery makers reporting a slowdown in the industry due to soaring gold prices.

But they said designers were compensating by getting more innovative with their designs.

The gems and jewellery sector contributes about six percent to India's gross domestic product (GDP), according to the India Brand and Equity Foundation.

That's due to high local demand and India's role as major centre for cutting and polishing diamonds.

Jewels play an important role in weddings, festivals, or any special occasion in India, making them a much sought after commodity.

Not only jewellery, but also art works, ornaments and even clothing are crafted from gold, silver and platinum and studded with diamonds and precious gems.

One of the highlights of the show was the "Peacock Ring", which holds the Guinness World Record for the most diamonds set in a single ring: 3,827 diamonds in all.

Weighing slightly more than 50 grams, the ring was created by Savio Jewellery and has an estimated value of 2,744,525, US dollars.

The majority of the show had jewellery designed for women, priced from a few hundred dollars to several thousand.

Jewellery designer and blogger, Prernaa Makhariaa says Indian designers were experimenting with innovation, blending traditional Indian styles with Western designs to attract buyers.

"There has been an infusion of diamonds with gold, or diamond with different kind of textures. It's not only diamonds, but even coloured stones are being mixed with gold or with silver or with brass and copper. So India is getting innovative with a lot of different manufacturing techniques and they are trying to play with textures and different kind of materials."

In London, UK traders were confident their products had not lost their sparkle despite the Brexit vote.

Experts at the International Jewellery London show said a weak pound, innovative design and a diverse marketplace for suppliers were just some of the reasons the UK jewellery market was thriving.

Michael Rawlinson is chief executive of The National Association of Jewellers, the main industry body in the UK.

He said: "The British market actually has responded quite well post Brexit at the moment, people have some level of certainty, even if it is leaving the European Union, so we've seen a strengthening of trade in the last couple of months."

With innovative designers continuing to emerge from the UK's most important jewellery schools in London and Birmingham, Rawlinson said 'brand Britain' was as strong as ever.

Examples of innovation came in the form of London-based designer Joanna Boyen of Biiju and her explosion designs and Katy Tromans' fairytale inspired silver rings.

Finishing off the season in October it was back to Istanbul.

Dazzling Turkey's 2nd jewellery fair of the year was this miniature of Istanbul's Camlica Mosque made of gold.

The 300 kilogram piece honouring the largest mosque in Asia Minor (Anatolia) was valued at 10 million US dollars.

But Turkish traders were not celebrating.

Turkey is one of the top three global producers together with Italy and India, but the usually buoyant jewellery sector was waning.

The situation in Syria, terror attacks, a failed coup and a long-running internal conflict with the Kurdish minority all impacted.

Exhibitors attending the show reported an export market drop of 18% overall in the last year according to the Turkish Jewellery Exporters Association. Total exports were 1.4 billion US dollars

Russia was in 2014 one of the main buyers of Turkish jewellery and gold, but bilateral trade was halted a year ago when Turkey shot down a Russian warplane in Syria.

After resuming business this year, Russia is now the 18th buyer of Turkish jewellery.

Iran is now the top buyer, but the purchase of jewellery and gold has decreased by 38 per cent to 384 million US dollars from January to September compared to the same period last year, according to figures from the Turkish Jewellery Exporters Association.

Tokyo, January 20, 2016

1. Tilt down $2 million guitar

2. Left Pan of Aaron Shum, President of Aaron Shum Jewellery holding the $2 million guitar his company made

"The China market has now unfortunately collapsed, and that's not the wrong word to use, it genuinely has collapsed. It's probably going to take another 4 to 5 years to get back to the state that it was before. What that means is that prices have basically collapsed. The raw material producing countries are no longer able to sell the amounts that they were before because of this big price differential."

"There has been an infusion of diamonds with gold, or diamond with different kind of textures. It's not only diamonds, but even coloured stones are being mixed with gold or with silver or with brass and copper. So India is getting innovative with a lot of different manufacturing techniques and they are trying to play with textures and different kind of materials."

"The British market actually has responded quite well post Brexit at the moment, people have some level of certainty, even if it is leaving the European Union, so we've seen a strengthening of trade in the last couple of months."

London has always been one of the world's leading lights in the fashion industry - but has Brexit dulled some of its shine?

At the Pure London fashion retail show - and with London Fashion Week on the horizon - brand owners and designers give their views on doing business in Brexit Britain.

STORY-LINE:

On the catwalk at Pure London it's business as usual.

The models strut their stuff to the music and packed crowds squeeze in for a glimpse of the latest trends.

But behind the flash and the glamour - is London still an attractive venue for fashion brands?

With Britain voting to leave the EU, and uncertainty hanging over all sectors of industry, the UK's fashion talent is preparing to weather the storm.

Maggie Song studied fashion in Beijing but came to the UK 13 years ago to make her name in the industry she loves.

In this time she has founded three labels, her most successful brand is Jolie Moi which can be found in some of the UK's largest department stores (John Lewis, Debenhams, House of Fraser).

She considers her business to be small to medium sized. Her clothes are designed in the UK but the materials and production happen in China.

When the result of the Brexit vote was announced she was on a business trip in Beijing and recalls her horror at hearing the news.

"I was shocked (when she heard the Brexit result). I couldn't think anything and also I couldn't speak, so, I was watching the exchange rate on the Internet, I can see the drop, the pound, this dramatic drop to the dollar and immediately I realised how tough it will be for small business," she says.

Song is expecting a tough 2017 as the low value of the pound starts to bite. She expects she will have to lower her margins to absorb the impact of Brexit.

But not everybody is suffering from the falling pound, according to Pure London's show director Julie Driscoll.

"So the exchange rate means for international brands it's really easy for them to enter the UK market, so more than ever before we're seeing international companies, international fashion collections wanting to come to the UK to explore opportunities and indeed this means this is our largest Pure London ever," she says.

One of the foreign fashion brands visiting Pure London for the first time is French jewellery maker Pas Si Sages Bijoux (Not So Wise) from Lyon.

Their funky, Bohemian-inspired jewellery is low/to mid priced and is all designed and produced in France. They are now looking to expand into the British market.

She believes Brexit has not changed anything in the fashion world and thinks the UK is still a great place to do business... perhaps thanks to the eccentric English style.

"London is always the place for fashion, the most important in the world, even after Brexit, that doesn't change anything. We always come to sell products, English people are always eccentric and they want French products," she says.

It's the same story for Turkish designer Ece Kavran, whose range called Urun features minimalist, classic pieces.

She says London is still top of her list for places to do business because of its pace and willingness to try new brands. She says in France and Italy the market is much slower and more traditional.

"But England is an expandable market, it's forever open to the new idea, to the new brand, and I think that's what makes it, England, very compelling for us," she says.

But fashion is more than just sales and spreadsheets, it's about creating brands - and there is no bigger brand than a country itself. So has brand Britain been tarnished by its decision to leave the EU?

Personal stylist Justyna Szal is at the show to soak up inspiration for new season looks.

She is originally from near Krakow in Poland, but works in London - dressing and making her clients look as on trend as possible.

Szal likes the idea of Brexit and does not feel it has had any negative impact on London as a fashion hub. In fact, she's quite enjoying all the attention, with the eyes of the world turning to Britain.

"No, I haven't found it less interesting. I actually found it more interesting because of the whole situation people are starting to be more interested in the UK and I think actually it's a pleasant advantage and the fashion business hasn't been more in bloom than it is nowadays," she says.

According to an industry report, compiled by Inside Retail, fashion is worth 50 billion UK pounds (approx. 62 billion US dollars) per annum in the UK - the second most important retail sector only behind food.

The British Retail Consortium estimates that in October 2015, online accounted for 26.3 per cent of total clothing sales - even higher for footwear.

The UK is already the world leader in online fashion sales, leading France, Germany, Japan and the USA.

Keely Stocker is the editor of Drapers, a long-running fashion industry magazine.

In a typically British way, she thinks this is a time to keep calm and carry on.

"I think it's definitely a challenging time, mainly because of the uncertainty more than anything else," she says. "But I think those people that are doing well are the ones that are really focusing on their customer, focusing on their product and just getting on with it until we know exactly what that (Brexit) is going to mean."

One of those at the show who is hoping to do just that is Bilguun Brower, owner of Mongolian Kingdom.

He is buying high-end Mongolian woollen products and selling them in the UK. The fall in value of the pound is an issue he will have to contend with in the coming years, but Brower believes there is a strong market for his products in the UK because of its damp, cold climate.

Exhibiting for the first time, he is introducing his new line of yak's wool scarves.

Brower, and the other small British business owners at Pure, will all be hoping the UK can secure strong trade deals as quickly as possible.

Pure London is one of the leading fashion retail shows in the Europe, with over 11,000 buyers visiting the show between February 12-14.

London, UK - 12 February 2017

1. Mid of woman on catwalk in furry coat and sunglasses

2. Various of woman in camel coat with long scarf on catwalk

3. Cutaway of woman taking photo of catwalk

4. Mid of woman in grey dress with metal bead shoulder attachments

5. Various set up shots of Maggie Song, owner of labels, Jolie Moi and Emily &amp; Me, taking red dress from peg

"I was shocked (when she heard the Brexit result). I couldn't think anything and also I couldn't speak, so, I was watching the exchange rate on the internet, I can see the drop, the pound, this dramatic drop to the dollar and immediately I realised how tough it will be for small business."

7. Mid of show visitors walking

8. Mid of woman hanging jacket

9. Various of man looking at shoes

10. Various set up shots of Pure London show director, Julie Driscoll looking at scarf

11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Julie Driscoll, Pure London show director:

"So the exchange rate means for international brands it's really easy for them to enter the UK market, so more than ever before we're seeing international companies, international fashion collections wanting to come to the UK to explore opportunities and indeed that means this is our largest Pure London ever."

12. Pan right of Pas Si Sages Bijoux jewellery from Lyon, France

13. Pull focus of bracelets

14. Tilt up from bracelets to earrings

15. Tilt up of back necklace

16. Mid of Chloe Chenu demonstrating how the back necklace is worn

17. Close details of necklace

18. SOUNDBITE: (French) Chloe Chenu, director, Pas Si Sages Bijoux:

"London is always the place for fashion, the most important in the world, even after Brexit, that doesn't change anything. We always come to sell products, English people are always eccentric and they want French products."

19. Close tilt up of two-tone leather skirt by Urun (from Turkey)

20. Close pan left of designer Ece Kavran showing colleague her new skirt design

21. Mid of same

22. Close of Kavran

23. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ece Kavran, designer, Urun:

"But England is an expandable market, it's forever open to the new idea, to the new brand, and I think that's what makes it, England, very compelling for us."

24. Wide of woman in gothic clothing on catwalk

25. Close of woman photographing the show

26. Wide pull focus of crowd on smartphones watching the show

27. Tilt up of model during gothic show

28. Various set up shots of personal stylist Justyna Szal

29. SOUNDBITE: (English) Justyna Szal, personal stylist:

"No, I haven't found it less interesting. I actually found it more interesting because of the whole situation people actually are starting to be more interested in the UK and I think actually it's a pleasant advantage and the fashion business hasn't been more in bloom than it is nowadays."

30. Various set up shots of fashion editor Keely Stocker looking at show

31. SOUNDBITE: (English) Keely Stocker, editor of Drapers magazine:

"I think it's definitely a challenging time, mainly because of the uncertainty more than anything else but I think those people that are doing well are the ones that are really focusing on their customer, focusing on their product and just getting on with it until we know exactly what that (Brexit) is going to mean."

32. Close pull from Mongolian/UK flag to Bilguun Brower, owner of Mongolian Kingdom

London has always been one of the world's leading lights in the fashion industry - but has Brexit dulled some of its shine?

At the Pure London fashion retail show - and with London Fashion Week on the horizon - brand owners and designers give their views on doing business in Brexit Britain.

STORY-LINE:

On the catwalk at Pure London it's business as usual.

The models strut their stuff to the music and packed crowds squeeze in for a glimpse of the latest trends.

But behind the flash and the glamour - is London still an attractive venue for fashion brands?

With Britain voting to leave the EU, and uncertainty hanging over all sectors of industry, the UK's fashion talent is preparing to weather the storm.

Maggie Song studied fashion in Beijing but came to the UK 13 years ago to make her name in the industry she loves.

In this time she has founded three labels, her most successful brand is Jolie Moi which can be found in some of the UK's largest department stores (John Lewis, Debenhams, House of Fraser).

She considers her business to be small to medium sized. Her clothes are designed in the UK but the materials and production happen in China.

When the result of the Brexit vote was announced she was on a business trip in Beijing and recalls her horror at hearing the news.

"I was shocked (when she heard the Brexit result). I couldn't think anything and also I couldn't speak, so, I was watching the exchange rate on the Internet, I can see the drop, the pound, this dramatic drop to the dollar and immediately I realised how tough it will be for small business," she says.

Song is expecting a tough 2017 as the low value of the pound starts to bite. She expects she will have to lower her margins to absorb the impact of Brexit.

But not everybody is suffering from the falling pound, according to Pure London's show director Julie Driscoll.

"So the exchange rate means for international brands it's really easy for them to enter the UK market, so more than ever before we're seeing international companies, international fashion collections wanting to come to the UK to explore opportunities and indeed this means this is our largest Pure London ever," she says.

One of the foreign fashion brands visiting Pure London for the first time is French jewellery maker Pas Si Sages Bijoux (Not So Wise) from Lyon.

Their funky, Bohemian-inspired jewellery is low/to mid priced and is all designed and produced in France. They are now looking to expand into the British market.

She believes Brexit has not changed anything in the fashion world and thinks the UK is still a great place to do business... perhaps thanks to the eccentric English style.

"London is always the place for fashion, the most important in the world, even after Brexit, that doesn't change anything. We always come to sell products, English people are always eccentric and they want French products," she says.

It's the same story for Turkish designer Ece Kavran, whose range called Urun features minimalist, classic pieces.

She says London is still top of her list for places to do business because of its pace and willingness to try new brands. She says in France and Italy the market is much slower and more traditional.

"But England is an expandable market, it's forever open to the new idea, to the new brand, and I think that's what makes it, England, very compelling for us," she says.

But fashion is more than just sales and spreadsheets, it's about creating brands - and there is no bigger brand than a country itself. So has brand Britain been tarnished by its decision to leave the EU?

Personal stylist Justyna Szal is at the show to soak up inspiration for new season looks.

She is originally from near Krakow in Poland, but works in London - dressing and making her clients look as on trend as possible.

Szal likes the idea of Brexit and does not feel it has had any negative impact on London as a fashion hub. In fact, she's quite enjoying all the attention, with the eyes of the world turning to Britain.

"No, I haven't found it less interesting. I actually found it more interesting because of the whole situation people are starting to be more interested in the UK and I think actually it's a pleasant advantage and the fashion business hasn't been more in bloom than it is nowadays," she says.

According to an industry report, compiled by Inside Retail, fashion is worth 50 billion UK pounds (approx. 62 billion US dollars) per annum in the UK - the second most important retail sector only behind food.

The British Retail Consortium estimates that in October 2015, online accounted for 26.3 per cent of total clothing sales - even higher for footwear.

The UK is already the world leader in online fashion sales, leading France, Germany, Japan and the USA.

Keely Stocker is the editor of Drapers, a long-running fashion industry magazine.

In a typically British way, she thinks this is a time to keep calm and carry on.

"I think it's definitely a challenging time, mainly because of the uncertainty more than anything else," she says. "But I think those people that are doing well are the ones that are really focusing on their customer, focusing on their product and just getting on with it until we know exactly what that (Brexit) is going to mean."

One of those at the show who is hoping to do just that is Bilguun Brower, owner of Mongolian Kingdom.

He is buying high-end Mongolian woollen products and selling them in the UK. The fall in value of the pound is an issue he will have to contend with in the coming years, but Brower believes there is a strong market for his products in the UK because of its damp, cold climate.

Exhibiting for the first time, he is introducing his new line of yak's wool scarves.

Brower, and the other small British business owners at Pure, will all be hoping the UK can secure strong trade deals as quickly as possible.

Pure London is one of the leading fashion retail shows in the Europe, with over 11,000 buyers visiting the show between February 12-14.

London, UK - 12 February 2017

1. Mid of woman on catwalk in furry coat and sunglasses

2. Various of woman in camel coat with long scarf on catwalk

3. Cutaway of woman taking photo of catwalk

4. Mid of woman in grey dress with metal bead shoulder attachments

5. Various set up shots of Maggie Song, owner of labels, Jolie Moi and Emily &amp; Me, taking red dress from peg

"I was shocked (when she heard the Brexit result). I couldn't think anything and also I couldn't speak, so, I was watching the exchange rate on the internet, I can see the drop, the pound, this dramatic drop to the dollar and immediately I realised how tough it will be for small business."

7. Mid of show visitors walking

8. Mid of woman hanging jacket

9. Various of man looking at shoes

10. Various set up shots of Pure London show director, Julie Driscoll looking at scarf

11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Julie Driscoll, Pure London show director:

"So the exchange rate means for international brands it's really easy for them to enter the UK market, so more than ever before we're seeing international companies, international fashion collections wanting to come to the UK to explore opportunities and indeed that means this is our largest Pure London ever."

12. Pan right of Pas Si Sages Bijoux jewellery from Lyon, France

13. Pull focus of bracelets

14. Tilt up from bracelets to earrings

15. Tilt up of back necklace

16. Mid of Chloe Chenu demonstrating how the back necklace is worn

17. Close details of necklace

18. SOUNDBITE: (French) Chloe Chenu, director, Pas Si Sages Bijoux:

"London is always the place for fashion, the most important in the world, even after Brexit, that doesn't change anything. We always come to sell products, English people are always eccentric and they want French products."

19. Close tilt up of two-tone leather skirt by Urun (from Turkey)

20. Close pan left of designer Ece Kavran showing colleague her new skirt design

21. Mid of same

22. Close of Kavran

23. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ece Kavran, designer, Urun:

"But England is an expandable market, it's forever open to the new idea, to the new brand, and I think that's what makes it, England, very compelling for us."

24. Wide of woman in gothic clothing on catwalk

25. Close of woman photographing the show

26. Wide pull focus of crowd on smartphones watching the show

27. Tilt up of model during gothic show

28. Various set up shots of personal stylist Justyna Szal

29. SOUNDBITE: (English) Justyna Szal, personal stylist:

"No, I haven't found it less interesting. I actually found it more interesting because of the whole situation people actually are starting to be more interested in the UK and I think actually it's a pleasant advantage and the fashion business hasn't been more in bloom than it is nowadays."

30. Various set up shots of fashion editor Keely Stocker looking at show

31. SOUNDBITE: (English) Keely Stocker, editor of Drapers magazine:

"I think it's definitely a challenging time, mainly because of the uncertainty more than anything else but I think those people that are doing well are the ones that are really focusing on their customer, focusing on their product and just getting on with it until we know exactly what that (Brexit) is going to mean."

32. Close pull from Mongolian/UK flag to Bilguun Brower, owner of Mongolian Kingdom

Brexit Party's Nigel Farage spent his last day of the election campaign in Doncaster, amongst neighbourhoods faithful to the Labour party for decades.

Speaking to reporters on his last leg of his election campaign Wednesday, Farage said the traditional Labour stronghold "are overwhelmingly against the European Union."

"So La bour faces this huge problem – 35 to 40 percent of its support in areas like this has a completely different view to most of its leadership and they've really been trapped by this," he added.

"I've been Labour all my life but there's no councillors come round, asking you different questions or is there anything you want," lamented 81-year-old Albert Thompson, who has been a lifetime Labour supporter.

"I'm just absolutely pissed off with Labour," he added.

Farage is hoping tactical voting will pay off – enough weight to pressure on UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson into making changes to the deal he negotiated with Brussels.

"We're on the way towards Brexit, it's happening. But is it going to be the right one?" Farage added.

Marilyn Tuck, a 66-year-old retiree, said she is disappointed that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Brexit group did not join hands in this election.

"I've always been Conservative but I'm disappointed with Boris not joining in. It'd been great. So I'm going with the Brexit Party and hopefully we can get a few seats and hopefully we can get out of the EU because I'm sick of them," she added.

Seeking to broaden his party's appeal, Farage also is trumpeting policies including the abolition of Parliament's unelected upper chamber, the House of Lords.

He also advocate to slash immigration to under 50,000 people a year, less than a quarter of current levels.

Doncaster - 11 December 2019

1. Wide of Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage coming out of a voter's house and posing for photographers

"I'm just absolutely pissed off with Labour. I've been (with) Labour all my life but there's no councillors come round, asking you different questions or is there anything you want. I mean, I'm 81 now and nobody's been around here to see me. There's nobody being anywhere near. You never see a councillor and… Is it Gerald Farage? What do you call this gentleman? Nigel, that's right. He's the first one that's been round."

6. Various of Farage and entourage walking down street

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Nigel Farage, Leader of Brexit Party:

"So Labour has a big problem here that London Labour, Metropolitan Labour is overwhelmingly in favour of the European project. You know, wants us to be fully part of the Brussels machine but old Labour, traditional Labour, working class Labour, former mining areas, former industrial areas, are overwhelmingly against the European Union as indeed they were against the Common Market going back to the 1970s. And so Labour faces this huge problem, you know, that 35 to 40 percent of its support in areas like this has a completely different view to most of its leadership and they've really been trapped by this."

8. Brexit Party candidate Surjit Singh Duhre talking to local

9. Wide of Doncaster residential street

10. Various of Brexit party volunteers

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Nigel Farage, Leader of Brexit Party:

"I'm pleased that we've managed to drag the Conservative Party to where it is. But for me and for most of the 17.4 million voters, Brexit is about us becoming an independent country and not being a subject in any way, to aligning our rules on everything from financial services to fisheries with the EU law. So, we're on the way towards Brexit, it's happening. But is it going to be the right one?"

12. Various of Farage walking up to a voters house and speaking to her

13.SOUNDBITE (English) Marilyn Tuck, 66-year-old retiree:

"I've looked at all the policies and I really...I've been disappointed in Boris (Johnson, UK Prime Minister) that he didn't join in with Nigel. I wanted them two together and it wasn't that so it's my reason and with Nigel and he's been campaigning for 25 years and he's never stopped and that's why… because I've always been Conservative but I'm disappointed with Boris not joining in. It'd been great. So I'm going with the Brexit Party and hopefully we can get a few seats and hopefully we can get out of the EU because I'm sick of them."

14. Various of Farage walking down the street

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Nigel Farage, Leader of Brexit Party:

"I think basically the whole future of Euro-scepticism in Europe depends on what happens here. It's all eyes on Britain. What is the United Kingdom decide to do and if we do break away fully and we are seen to have done well, of course those movements across Europe would grow."

The fallout over Brexit continues to batter nerves of money dealers, a weak British pound could be bad for the jewellery trade.

If British jewellers pay more for precious metals and gems internationally, that means higher prices.

But new figures from analysts say the value of the industry is expected to rise, from 5.7 billion in 2018 to 5.9 billion pounds this year.

STORY-LINE:

A Faberge egg, not an antique one from the Russian court of Tsar Alexander, but a new design, sporting a coat of Blue John, Britain's rarest mineral.

The egg is part of a collection on display to jewellery traders in London.

As a whole, the collection is worth over one million British pounds, by far the most expensive item on display here.

The detailed pieces include necklaces and objet d'art commissioned by high end jeweller C W Sellors, a company proud of its British heritage.

The company was founded by Chris Sellors, who's celebrating his company's fortieth year of trading. He started the company when he was just nineteen-years-old.

This collaboration with Faberge is his celebration of his four decades in business, and a show of confidence in the future.

Much of the collection, he says, has already been sold.

"We wanted to start off with making something iconic really, which is an object piece that's incorporating the egg style of Faberge, which is sort of useful. This is actually an 18 carat," says Sellors.

"We've done that the gemstone work on this, of the Blue John and Faberge, in their workshop, have actually created the fantastic metalwork with a guilloche pieces, mounted with diamonds both on the Blue John and on the top. Fantastic detail, whichever way you look at it, and what a fantastic investment."

Sellor's quirky and quintessentially English pieces have an established market.

Currently, a quarter of what he sells goes to Europe, but he's not perturbed by the fluctuations threatened by Brexit.

"Historically, the British industry, jewellery industry, was very, very strong, making many, many fine things that you'll see in antiques all over the world," he says.

"And, personally, Brexit, I don't see as going to make any difference whatsoever to us. It may even actually help us keep our identity and actually sort of go forward. We've traded way before Brexit and, you know the European Union, and I think we'll sort of continue and everything will go on fine in our industry."

Simon Forrester is the CEO of The UK's National Association of Jewellers (NAJ). He keeps a watchful eye on the European competition.

The NAJ represents 2,000 companies, employing around 25,000 people. Members range from manufacturers to retailers, as well as designers.

Market analysts Mintel have released their latest survey on the jewellery trade, which shows it's expected to grow, although not very quickly, this year from 5.7 billion British pounds n 2018, to 5.9 billion by the end of this year.

Forrester says top end jewellers may be secure, but those on the high street face more challenges.

"Twenty years ago, the industry was growing rapidly, but we've seen a significant slowdown, particularly the last five years," he says.

"It's tough out there on the high street. People are spending their limited discretionary income on holidays, on iPhones, on experiences and jewellery is dropped down the pecking order of people's discretionary purchases."

Many of the British companies here say they expect to weather any upcoming storms Brexit throws at them.

Unlike farmers, they're not dealing in perishable goods, but Brexit has made forward planning difficult for companies.

Some fear a damage to their business from a rise in the price of raw materials, others believe the volume they sell to foreigners will increase because the pound will make them more competitive.

"European business is probably about 50 to 60 percent of our trade, in terms of jewellery going backwards and forwards," says Forrester.

"I would see that shrinking if we don't maintain a similar tariff structure to what we have now, and new markets being developed.

"Certainly, international jewellery, where we are now, we're seeing a lot more non-European jewellers have a presence here, which is very interesting, but also, the conversations we're having with overseas retailers from non-European destinations, very keen to find out how they can access British jewellery design and bring that to their shops."

According to Forrester, Britain is set to establish more jewellery trade with India.

Company Yoko London specialises in pearls and diamonds, it's a family firm established by Michael Hakimian's father, back in the 1970s.

"I personally think at the level of merchandise that we are supplying, which is the higher end of the market, an adjustment of few hundred pounds here or there, or few